The present invention relates to a clutch release bearing in general and more particularly to a clutch release bearing and bearing carrier assembly having a snap fit coupling with an associated clutch fork lever.
Mechanical disk clutches as used, for example, in motor vehicles for controllably coupling the motor vehicle internal combustion engine flywheel to the gear box input shaft, are normally biased to engagement by spring means, such as for example a diaphragm spring provided with fingers engaged at their end with the non-revolving race of a release bearing, or throw-out bearing, such as a ball bearing, the non-revolving race of the bearing being supported by a tubular sleeve or carrier. The sleeve or carrier is in turn slidably mounted over a tubular member concentrically disposed around the driveshaft.
As long as the clutch is engaged, the revolving race of the throw-out bearing is constantly engaged with the end of the clutch release fingers by a relatively weak spring bias and the throw-out bearing and bearing carrier assembly is axially displaced by appropriate control means in the direction that displaces the clutch release finger to release the clutch. The axial displacement of the throw-out bearing and bearing carrier assembly is effected, for example, by a mechanical actuator such as a clutch control fork lever, operated by the clutch pedal or by a hydraulic actuator. The clutch control fork lever has a bifurcated end which is disposed straddling the clutch throw-out bearing carrier and attached in some manner to the carrier such as to controllably displace the carrier longitudinally in the appropriate direction disengaging the clutch, while preventing the carrier and the non-revolving race of the bearing supported by the carrier from rotating.